


Victory

by Ghost_Writing



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Compliant, Canonical Character Death, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mutual Pining, Other, Pining, Post-Canon, Reader-Insert, Titan Shifter Reader, Titan Shifters, Titan Shifting, valentines day special
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-16 20:41:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29459928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ghost_Writing/pseuds/Ghost_Writing
Summary: You gripped the back of Falco tightly, the net preventing you from falling to your doom as tears streaked down your cheeks. Mikasa and Jean held you back as you watched Armin explosion tear through the body of the founder titan- of Eren’s titan, and engulf the armoured titan as well.You screamed at the top of your lungs as tears ran down your cheeks. You held on for dear life to the idea that Riener could live through Armin’s explosion.
Relationships: Reiner Braun/Reader
Comments: 3
Kudos: 48





	Victory

**Author's Note:**

> titan powers: the Guardian Titan  
> Takes care of the other titans during/after/before battle, to keep them safe and well cared for. 
> 
> Reversal  
> \- for quick healing in battle  
> \- can make someone younger / older  
> Location  
> \- can identify the location of any titan shifter  
> \- can share the location of any titan shifter
> 
> It’s barely taller than the Female titan, completely white just like the last Warhammer titan, except there’s a mask of white around the bottom of your face, with your hair still pulled back from your face even in titan form. On your back, there’s a large red cross.
> 
> \- Kangaroo pouch on stomach that hardens when someone's placed inside to protect them and let them heal.

You gripped the back of Falco tightly, the net preventing you from falling to your doom as tears streaked down your cheeks. Mikasa and Jean held you back as you watched Armin explosion tear through the body of the founder titan- of Eren’s titan, and engulf the armoured titan as well. 

You screamed at the top of your lungs as tears ran down your cheeks. You held on for dear life to the idea that Riener could live through Armin’s explosion- he’d lived through Bertolt’s explosions before, even the time when they’d stolen the colossal titan from him back on Paradis four years ago. Every part of your soul prayed he’d live. 

Out of desperation, you push your titan energy towards him, targeting Reiner desperately to not die. You hold onto the signal of his location for dear life as Mikasa and Jean hold onto your body so you don’t try and run back into the battle. 

“He’s prepared for the consequences, (Y/N),” Jean reminds you, his head buried against your arm. 

“But- but I’m not! I never even-! He can’t die!” you sob, your heart twist in your chest as the line you have on Reiner becomes weaker with each passing moment. 

“Let him do this,” Mikasa pleads to keep you back.

You never really had a relationship with the Eldian’s from Paradis. You never knew them. When you were kids, you were one of the ones who were kept back from going to Paradis. It was for the better, if you’d gone with them you probably would’ve had the group switch sides. You barely knew the Eldians at all, yet they were keeping you safe and they’d fought by your side for the past few days. 

When Reiner had returned to Paradis with Zeke and Pieck, you had been placed in charge of taking care of him. He’d been the most damaged from everything, so you’d been told to heal him so he could fight again. There were many restless nights where you’d pleaded with Zeke to not take Reiner back into battle, but deep down you knew that neither of you had any control over the Marlyan’s decisions. You’d had to watch as Reiner shattered over and over again, forced to live the tormented memories that resurfaced after every battle.

Somewhere in the chaos of watching over him, you stumbled into loving him. The way he smiled when you went for walks across the beach, how he curled up next to you on his bad days, the way he slept till noon on good days, how he offered you his jacket when it got cold outside, and the way he protected you when you were forced onto the battlefield. Even the stupid smile he’d make when you passed in the halls, or how he’d rant about Paradis Island when no one else was around. 

It felt like someone was burning your skin as the thin connection you had on him strained and roared towards you instead. Clutching your head you collapsed into a ball. You were used to pain coming through the connection when you were healing something particularly bad, but this was the worst pain you’d felt in your life. A scream left your mouth as finally off in the distance, the explosion dimmed and the colossal titan stood where the body of the founding titan used to be.   
Falco jerked around and headed back towards the colossal titan, just as Armin gasped out of the back. Your eyes frantically scanned the area for the armoured titan, you could feel him, he was still alive, but that didn’t silence the roaring pain that seared your body. 

“Armin!” Mikasa called out, standing up from the back of Falco as he slowly circled the top of the colossal titan.

The blond boy waved back, tears streaking down his face that could be seen even from your distance.  
“We did it! We won!” he shout back, his voice wavering from the sobs that racked his body.

“We did! We finally won! We’re free!” Connie sobbed, trying to brush the tears from his eyes.

“I wish Sasha could see this, and Commander Hange, and Commander Erwin-” Jean mumbled next to you.

“-And Bertolt, and Porco,” you added, looking down at the back of Falco.

A hand rested on your back, turning around you meet Pieck’s gaze.  
“They’d be happy we won. They can rest in peace knowing we’re finally free.”

“I- I guess you’re right… I still wish they could’ve been here though,” you sigh, wiping your face on your sleeve.

“I’m sure they’re looking down from Heaven wishing the same thing,” Pieck sniffled, leaning against your back.

“I hope so,” you whisper, leaning against her as well as Falco circles close enough for Armin to jump onto his back. Quietly, you reach out for Reiner, you didn’t realize you’d let go of his connection for a moment. 

A small waver of a thread wraps around your mind, letting you know he’s alive still. Barely.  
“He’s- Reiner is- Falco, go to the ground!” you frantically request, moving up next to Gabi to get Falco’s attention.

The head turns to you, looking over his shoulder to meet your gaze. You’re not sure what he sees in your eyes but he’s diving down in seconds towards the ground. Gabi grips your shirt, holding you close.

“He’s alive?” she whispers, her typical tough attitude vanishing in the face of her cousin being alive.

“I hope so, Gabi… I hope so,” you murmur back as Falco soars to the ground.

No one attempts to stop you as Falco nears the half-burnt body of the armoured titan. Armin’s explosion burnt away Reiner’s face and front of his torso, exposing the skeleton underneath. You can see the split skull of Eren’s titan that’s smoking as it disappears, but your attention isn’t on him.   
Your attention is solely on the armoured titan. 

As soon as Falco is close enough, you stand up on his back and leap onto the back of the armoured titan. You nearly slip down the side, managing to catch yourself on one of his plates near his nape. 

“Reiner? Reiner can you hear me?!” you call out, carefully scaling the side of his body to get to his nape.

There’s a slight tug on the connection thread, letting you know he’s there. With a shaky sigh of relief, you tear one of the past Warhammer’s weapons from near his nape, tossing it so it clatters to the ground below. 

Gently, you place a hand on the back of his nape, sitting slightly off to the side so that you won’t fall to the ground if he was to emerge.   
“Reiner, I need you to leave your titan please,” you whisper, holding your hand as still as you can despite the shaking. 

There’s a tense silence as Falco circles around the armoured titan, waiting for you as you wait for Reiner to emerge. Then the connection wavers between you and him, a desperate plea for help.

“Okay, hold on,” you whisper, looking down at the ground, then up at Falco. You brace yourself to leap off Reiner’s back, meeting Falco’s gaze.  
“Falco! You have five seconds!” you shout to him.

He turns immediately and races away as you launch yourself off Reiner’s back, biting into your hand as blood drips down your chin. Power surges through your body as your titan frantically forms around you until the Guardian titan stands behind Reiner.

It’s barely taller than the Female titan, completely white just like the last Warhammer titan, except there’s a mask of white around the bottom of your face, with your hair still pulled back from your face even in titan form. On your back, there’s a large red cross.

You open your mouth, the mask being decorative rather than covering your mouth, revealing large sharp teeth specifically designed to pierce titan shifters. 

_”I’m sorry Reiner,”_ you quietly think to yourself, unable to speak in titan form as you bend your head down to tear through the armoured titan’s plates.

There’s a scream behind you;  
“No! Don’t eat him!” Armin calls out frantically. You hadn’t been in a battle with him before, so you couldn’t hold him to the idea that you were trying to hurt Reiner.

With care and caution, you tear away the flesh from the back of the nape, exposing the smoking, half-burnt, body of Reiner. Reiner’s head flopping backwards. His face is smoking as muscle wraps itself back around the bone to knit back together. You reach in, pulling him out, and placing him in the kangaroo-like pouch on your stomach. 

The pouch hardens around him, encasing him as you turn back to Falco, giving him a thumbs up. He nods his head and starts to soar off towards the ocean. All of you knew if you stayed on Marley, you’d be arrested or confronted for a new war. 

With a quick double-check of the area, searching out for Zeke, Eren, or the founding titan, using your powers, you confirm all three deceased from the area. After checking, you turn on your heel and race back after Falco towards the ocean. 

You were light enough to be picked up when you reached port, your titan having hollow bones and a smaller body to be carried by other titan shifters, as well as planes. It helped with the transport of the injured. 

Armin had thankfully calmed down by the time Falco picked you up, having Pieck explain to him how your titan worked. As you hung under Falco, you felt someone climb down your arm, coming to sit on your shoulder.

You turn your head to see Gabi resting against your bicep, staring down at the pouch. 

“He’s alive, right?” she asks quietly.

You nod your head in response, unable to respond verbally.

“He’ll stay that way, right?”

You nod your head again, hoping that he would as well.

“Okay,” she whispers, curling up to watch the ocean pass below as you soared back to towards Paradis. 

You wished you could comfort her, but the most you could muster was the hardening that wrapped around her lower body to keep her from falling to her doom. She didn’t protest, simply allowing herself to be encased in the odd material.

The journey back was quiet, with her checking in every few minutes that Reiner was still alive. You nodded each time, the steam rising out of a tiny hole in the hardening so that it didn’t suffocate Reiner. 

When the land finally came into view, Falco lowered down slowly, setting you down on the desert sands. You waved to him in thanks as he flew next to your head. 

“We’ll be heading to the center of the city,” Armin calls out to you, “So that Commander Levi, and Reiner can get help.”

You nod your head. You’d offered to heal Levi’s face earlier, but he shook his head, rejecting your offer. You couldn’t blame him, he’d spent all his life-fighting titans, and seeing outsiders as bad people. 

However, it might be the reversed problem for Reiner. He might reject the Eldian’s help, favouring your own over theirs. If he even accepted help to start with. 

Your mind wandered as you raced across the desert sands, watching them slowly turn into the forested area as you neared where the walls used to be. Shouts came to your ears as those you’d left behind called out to those aboard Falco.

They were a mixed reaction, to seeing two titan-shifters carrying seven people and an odd piece of hardening on one of them. Some were happy to see those aboard Falco alive, others were horrified that any titans still remained. 

Nevertheless, you made your way back to the center of the city. Trudging through the rubble and being careful to not hurt anyone on your way there. It was almost as slow as walking through the desert, this time with people running away from your feet. You couldn’t blame them, they’d never seen your titan before. 

When you made it to the center city, you found your way to the scout’s barracks, guided by the remaining scouts. Falco landed in the courtyard, giving Pieck and Jean time to guide you in without crushing or damaging anything. 

Carefully, you released Gabi and lowered her down to the ground to allow her to stretch her legs. She barely moved from next to you as you sat your titan down on the ground and slowly undid the hardening around Reiner. 

A few of the remaining scouts who’d been left behind on the island came rushing out. It seems in the time that you’d been gone, Historia had managed to retake the thrown and bring everyone under control once more. Your new Queen… it felt odd to even think that.

You watched as Levi was dragged away by a nurse dressed in a white dress, Mikasa and Armin walking with him. That left Jean to order a few of the scouts over to you so they could take Reiner, you glared at them as you finally fished Reiner out, holding him in your lap in your titan’s hands, before removing yourself from the nape.

“He just needs a bed to rest in,” you cough, spitting out the blood from your mouth as you tear away the membranes connecting you to your titan.

One of the scouts gives you a thumbs up as you climb down from your titan to where Reiner was still in its hands. He was still smoking, but his face had healed over finally. You crouch down next to his body, putting his arm over your shoulder and lifting him up.

He’s easier to lift up than you thought, and you turn your head to his other side to see Jean helping you to lift him up as well.

“Jean, you don’t have to-”

“I know. But no matter how I remember it, Reiner was our friend too. Even after all that’s happened, he almost died to save us,” he confesses, helping you carry him down from the titan.  
“We never wanted to fight you, it wasn’t-” you started to apologize.

“I know. We all know,” he mutters as one of the scouts comes up, holding a spare change of clothing for you and Reiner.

“Thank you,” you smile weakly as you take the clothes and hold them in your free hand as Jean helps guide you to the barracks.

When you reach the door, you hear the pattering of footsteps as someone runs up to hold it open. Looking down, you see Gabi holding the door open, Pieck holding Falco behind you, Annie and Connie not too far behind them.

“I wish I could’ve been born here, we all would’ve- it would’ve been so different. To know all of you on the same side rather than fighting for a cause we never had a say in,” you sniffle, tears forming in the corners of your eyes.

“Now you can. Marley’s gone, and there’s nowhere else that’ll take you. You’re one of us,” Armin’s voice answers, as he appears in front of you, Mikasa at his side.

“Are you sure? We-I did terrible things and-”

“In the end, you still helped save the world. I think it’s less black-and-white than we thought. Eren ended up being the evil one, so does that not make us the bad guys?” Armin argues.

“But, Zeke helped him too. In a way we helped as well, so aren’t we also the bad guys?”

“Does it matter? We’re alive and that’s what matters. Let’s go to bed finally, today’s been too long,” Mikasa grumbles, motioning you into the barracks.

You nod your head, stepping in with Jean to carry Reiner.  
“You’re right… thank you, for being nice to us,” you mumble as your footsteps sound out through the barracks.

“Thanks for helping us save the world,” Jean chuckles quietly.

“Let’s never do that again,” you chuckle in response.

There’s a murmur of agreement throughout everyone as you shuffle up to the second floor where there were rooms for everyone to sleep in.

You’re shown a room bigger than one you’d had on Marley, with a large queen-sized bed, a coffee table, and a couch, even with a bathroom attached to it.

Gabi runs in with Falco, flopping down on the bed as you and Jean walk over to lay Reiner down on the bed.

“You guys can have this side of the hall to sleep in, we’ll sleep across from you,” Mikasa states, gesturing to the other rooms along the hallway.  
“Thank you, Mikasa. Let me know if I can be helpful in any way, I’m really good at healing people and-” you start to say, laying Reiner down gently on the bed as Gabi and Falco look at him with worried eyes.

“Focus on taking care of Reiner. That’s your task.”

“What about Gabi and Falco? Their parents-”

“The brats are all of our responsibilities. It’s a new world, right? They’re going to grow up in a world properly. Without any of the shit, we had,” Levi grunts from the door, causing the small group to turn towards him.

“Commander! You should be resting!” Jean protests, running over to him. 

“I’m fine, brat. I came to ask them something,” he grunts, nodding his head towards you.

“Me?” you stammer, pointing to yourself as your brows knit together.

“You said you could heal my hand, yes?” he asks, holding out his hand where two fingers were still missing.

“Y-yeah of course, it’ll hurt though,” you explain, reaching out for his hand.

“Worse than what’s already happened?” he grumbles, one of his eyebrows arching up.

“I suppose not… deep breath please,” you whisper, waiting as he sucks in the air before closing your eyes and forming the energy of two fingers on his hand. 

He twitches in your hand, before pulling away once you release him.  
“There, that should heal nicely. But, do get some bed rest to make sure,” you instruct him

“Thanks,” he grunts, rubbing his hand as he turns and walks out of the room. “Alright, everyone out! You can pester them about Marley when Reiner’s awake!” 

There’s a few protests, before everyone shuffles from the room, leaving you, Gabi, Falco, and Reiner alone.

“Not leaving, eh?” you ask the two of them, walking over to the bed.

“No! Mr.Braun has to wake up!” Falco protests, kneeling next to Reiner’s head on the bed.

“Yeah! Come on Reiner, wake up!” Gabi squeaks, shaking his arm.

“Give him some time you two, he’ll wake up when he’s ready,” you hum, placing the spare clothes down on the bed. “Do you two have changes of clothes?”

“Yeah, the scouts gave them to us,” Falco says, holding up his own.

“Bathroom’s over there, take turns to shower and change. You’re covered in your titan’s first transformation ooze, and the blood of everyone on that battle field,” you instruct them, point to the bathroom door. “Reiner will be right here when you’re done.”

“Falco goes first!” Gabi declares, pushing Falco off the bed.

“Hey!” he protests, rubbing the back of his head.

“Listen to her, come on now. You’re a mess,” you agree, helping him to stand back up again.

“Fine,” he grumbles as he shuffles off to the bathroom.

When the door clicks, you settle down on the bed next to Reiner, across from Gabi. You lift Reiner’s head up carefully, lowering it down onto your lap so you could run your hands through his hair quietly. It’s a small gesture, but one you’re used to doing for him whenever he came back from training or wars.

Gabi shuffles over, to lean against your side.  
“Is he really going to be alright?”

“Yeah, I’ve seen him come back from worse,” you whisper, lying through your teeth. A silent plea to be right.

“How many times?” she asks suddenly.

“Hm?”

“How many times have you taken care of him afterwards?”

You tilt your head to look down at her, resting her hand on the side of Reiner’s face.  
“Too many times to count.”

“Do you love him?” 

Your eyes widen, eyebrows arching up on your forehead, as your mouth opens slightly, closing again to swallow the lump in your throat.

“Gabi, where’s this coming from?” you whisper quietly, meeting her stubborn stare. It reminds you a little of Reiner, the way he’d ask personal questions so he could focus on something other than bad memories.

“You’re always taking care of him, and even when you don’t have to I see you walking around Marley with him. When I went to the warrior barracks he was always near you, helping with whatever you were busy doing,” she rambles, recalling all the memories she’d witnessed.

You turn from her, to look down at Reiner, brushing your hand through his hair as his injuries lessen.  
“When Reiner came back from Paradis, I was assigned to him. To make sure he was okay and ready for the next battle they decided to use him in. After the first few, he started seeking me out when he had bad days, we’d go for walks or find a task to distract him. After a while, it just started to feel natural, to the point where we were always close by each other and he’d come to find me when he’d have nightmares- or even on days he usually spent alone. I guess somewhere along the way, I lost the professional side of my reasoning to help him. I walked into loving him without even realizing it. Too bad I only realized two days ago, we could’ve-” you ramble, looking up with a small smile, catching Falco’s wide-eyed gaze as you did so, standing at the foot of the bed.   
“Ah, sorry, I didn’t mean to ramble on so much. You two don’t need to hear the daydreaming of an old-person such as myself,” you chuckle, rubbing the back of your neck.

“It’s okay, (Y/N). I already knew,” Gabi chirps, hopping down from the bed as Falco climbs up next to you. She walks off and closes the bathroom door.

You sit there for a moment, blinking as you stare at a wall, attempting to register her words. She knew…? A small yawn next to you drew your attention to Falco, who was rubbing his eyes as he rested his head in your lap next to Reiner’s. 

“Go to sleep, Falco. You deserve your rest,” you whisper quietly, gently petting his damp hair.

He mumbles something incoherent as he drifts off to sleep, leaving you alone in the room to listen to the noise of Gabi’s shower. Quietly, you found yourself humming a familiar tune. It was one that Reiner always put on when he needed to drown out his thoughts. Slow, romantic, one that made you want to waltz. He said it was called _“No Other Love” by someone called Jo Stafford_. You hardly cared who wrote the song, you always like to daydream Reiner had written it for you instead.

You weren’t sure when, but you started to sing the lyrics, your hand running idly through Reiner’s hair as you lost yourself in singing. Eventually, you started to sing other songs he’d play, slow and romantic, worn down records from the gramophone that would play them in the warrior’s barracks.

“What are you singing?” Gabi’s voice asks, yanking you back to consciousness to realize she’d come up to sit next to Falco. 

“Oh, it’s ‘It’s been a long, long time’ by-”

“Harry James and his orchestra?” Gabi interrupts before you can finish.

“Yeah, how’d you know?” you mumble, looking down at her. She’s smiling as she tilts Falco into her own lap.

“Reiner used to sing it when he thought no one else was paying attention to him on the train back from wars. He never told me who he was singing about though. I never heard him play the song either, just on trains,” she explains, looking down at her cousin curiously. 

“Really? He always played it when he’d wake up from nightmares,” you reveal, looking down at Reiner as well, noticing he’d stopped smoking finally.

“He’s healed,” Gabi comments. You’re unsure if she was avoiding the topic to comment on Reiner’s body or not.

“I supposed he has. I should get him cleaned off. Is there hot water left?” you ask her, moving to sit up from the bed.

“Yeah, there’s plenty left. Falco showered with it on full cold,” she giggled as you picked Reiner up from the bed, leaning him against you. 

You chuckle a bit as you straighten him up. There’s little resistance, Reiner shifting himself up as well.

“Morning sleepyhead,” you chuckle as he shifts to lean closer to you.

“It’s too early…” he grumbles in protest.

“Let’s get you cleaned up, then you can go back to bed. Okay?” you whisper, turning to take a step to the bathroom.

“Fine,” he agrees, walking slowly with you to the bathroom. Thankfully Gabi runs over and gets the door, placing the changes of clothes for you and him on the counter.

“Thank you, Gabi, go make sure Falco’s okay, alright? He might wake up with nightmares,” you instruct her, smiling as you help Reiner step over the edge of the tub.

“If I have to,” she groans, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she closes the door to the bathroom.

“She’s a good kid,” you hum, turning the water on to the shower, letting it warm up.  
“You need to take your clothes off Reiner, they’re charred anyways.”

His eyes open slightly, looking down at himself with a groan, then back to you.  
“What about you? You’re covered in titan’s guts as well,” he points out.

“I’ll shower after I get you clean,” you dismiss, helping him to stay standing as you cut the clothes away from his body. They were ruined anyway.

He stays quiet, helping you to remove his blood-soaked clothes as you keep your eyes up for modesty’s sake. The water hits against his skin as you step in the shower in front of him, kicking off your shoes. You didn’t particularly care about your clothes getting soaked as you grabbed the shampoo.

You had to admit the shampoo was even higher quality than Marley’s. With a small smile, you poured some onto your hands, running it through his hair. 

You freeze when he starts singing. The familiar toon of “no other love” filling your ears as you wash his hair. He fades out to humming as you regain control of your limbs. He was probably just coping with the most recent battle. Not copying you from earlier. 

He continues to sing as you help him wash the blood off, before you watch his lips move slowly, grabbing the shampoo bottle.

“Reiner, I already washed your hair,” you remind him as he opens the bottle.

“I know,” he simply replies, squirting soap out onto his hands. Did he not trust you to get his hair clean?

The cold sensation of shampoo met your head as he slowly started to wash your hair. You blink in surprise, staring at his chest.

“I told you, I can shower afterwards,” you remind him, washing the newly formed skin.

He ignores you, continuing to wash your hair until it’s clean and the shampoo’s rinsing down the drain. He’s changed songs, one you hadn’t heard before as he reaches for the knife resting on the counter outside the shower.

He drags the knife across the fabric, cutting it free until you stand naked as well, your hands frozen on his chest with the wet clothes pooled around your feet.

“Two showers take too long,” he mumbles, setting the knife back down and taking the bar of soap from your hands to wash the gore off of your body.

You stand there, wide-eyed as he washes off the titan parts from your skin. Eventually, he starts to sing a familiar song as you grow comfortable with his touches. Each one setting your skin on fire as you join him in singing.

When he finishes, you shut off the water, grabbing a nearby towel to dry off his hair, he smiles down at you through the towel around his head, a wide-toothed grin. You swallow the heart up in your throat as a blush spreads across your face.

He takes the towel that was around your shoulders, drying your hair off as well. Large hands delicately squeezing the water from your hair. 

“Wise men say, only fools rush in,” he starts, changing the song, “but I can’t help falling in love with you.” your heart catches in your throat again as you stare at the wall of the shower. “Shall I stay, would it be a sin? If I can’t help, falling in love with you.”

You knew how the song went, yet, he skips over the chorus, starting the second verse much to your romantic daydreaming’s joy.

“Take my hand-” you’re at a loss of what to do as he steps out of the tub, offering his hand out to you so you can step out as well, “take my whole life too. For I can’t help falling in love with you.”  
Gingerly, you take his hand, stepping out from the tub as he smiles at you, passing you your clothes.

“Thanks,” you squeak, pulling on your underwear and your shirt, as well as the comfortable pants that had been supplied. 

He nods his head, copying your actions until you’re both standing there, facing each other in the tiny bathroom with the mirror fogged over from the showers it’s hosted.

“(Y/N),” Reiner starts, drawing your attention to meet his gaze as he reaches out to cup the side of your jaw, “You… love me?”

He’d heard? Had he really been awake the whole time? Your heart pounds in your chest as you struggle to meet his gaze, eyes as wide as dinner plates. 

“I- I guess I do. Sorry if that’s- I know it was meant to be professional but I-” you start to ramble in protest as Reiner holds your gaze, eyebrows raised slightly with the sides of his mouth quirked up, his lips slightly parted.  
“Don’t just stand there Reiner, say something! Do something! Tell me I’m wrong, that I shouldn’t love you! Storm out of the bathroom, slap me! Just- say something!”

“You’re as stunning as the day I first laid eyes on you,” he whispers quietly, your heart pounding in your chest as you copy his facial expression.

He leans down, lips millimetres apart.  
“I love you too,” are the only words to leave his lips as he presses them against yours.

You don’t hesitate, there’s no sense in hesitating. He fits around your mouth as if he was sculpted to do so, your hand wrap around to rest on the nape of his neck as he holds you as if you might break in his hands.

In that moment, the world melts away. Lost in his arms with a quiet sigh leaving his lips as you pull back for air.

“How long?” you whisper, your arms still wrapped around his neck, keeping him close.

“Since I first saw you,” he mumbles back, tilting his head to kiss the arm neck to his face. “I was such a mess back then, I couldn’t even realize the stunning person standing in front of me wasn’t just an angel in disguise.”

A small giggle leaves your lips as he beams down at you.  
“Who knew you could be so cheesy,” you sigh as he shifts his hands down to hold around your waist.

“Only for you,” he hums, leaning down and slotting his lips with yours again. 

You lean up into the kiss, pulling him closer as he holds you gently. You pull apart as a knocking sounds from the door;  
“(Y/N)? Is mr.Braun okay?” Falco asks, his voice muffled by the door.

“Shit- Yeah Falco, he’s alright. We’re just dressing, we’ll be out in a moment,” you call to him. 

“Okay!” he calls back before the muffled sound of footsteps racing back to the bed rings through the room.

“We’re in the Scout barracks, in case you didn’t hear that as well,” you fill Reiner in as he lets you stand on your own as well.

“Noted,” he mumbles, keeping one hand around your waist as he opens the door for you. 

“Reiner, we should clean up the clothes first-” you start to protest as he turns around and dumps the wet clothes and towels into the bathtub.

“Good enough?” he asks, placing his hand back around your waist. “We can deal with it tomorrow, it’s been a long day. Best not to keep Falco or Gabi waiting.”

“I suppose it can wait,” you sigh, rolling your eyes as you lean against his side while he guides you back to the bed.

Falco and Gabi stare at you with wide eyes as you two walk back to the bed. It dawns on you too late that they’d caught on. You turn your head to the side, your face becoming beat red as Reiner does the same, his hand still on your waist.

“I knew it! You owe me your desert tomorrow!” Gabi declares, sticking her tongue out at Falco.

“That’s not fair! They could’ve been doing anything in there!” Falco protests, crossing his arms and pouting at the sheets. “It was just a lucky guess.”

“No one’s giving anyone their desert. You both deserve a treat,” Reiner grumbles, walking over to sit down on the bed, taking you along with him thanks to the hand on your waist.

“Come on guys, it’s been a long day. You two should be asleep by now,” you whisper, sitting down on the other side of Reiner as Gabi and Falco shift to lay across his chest on his right side. 

“(Y/N) is right, you two need sleep,” Reiner agrees, booping each on the nose as you lay down on his left side, pulling his arm around you to make sure you’re still there.

“Fine,” they grumble, settling down for the night finally.

You smile, curling closer to Reiner as he rests his chin against the top of your head. You quietly listen for his breathing to even out, knowing the tells of when he falls asleep. His breathing evens out until small snores escape quietly, lulling you into sleep knowing he’s safely asleep. Victories hardly came easy, yet you were glad you’d won two battles today.


End file.
